Cold Comfort
by Naruto-fan-Okami-chan
Summary: What's going on? Where's Sasuke? Is he alright? What's up with Neji? A new friend? Oh...the shoulder to cry on...and now it's happening again. -SasuSaku-AU-one-sided/slight NejiSaku-
1. Appear and Disappear

**Cold Comfort**

**Chapter One- Appear and Disappear**

"Sasuke Uchiha."

No reply came.

"No Sasuke today, eh?" Kakashi declared from the front of the classroom. "I guess not." He then marked an "absent" by Sasuke's name.

Green eyes took a quick scan of the class, but could find no trace of the one pronounced to be absent. They fell on the figure of a blond-haired boy with a vacant seat next to him. His eyes locked with the ones peering at him, and he gave a shrug.

Sakura Haruno frowned at her friend, Naruto Uzumaki, because she had no idea where their dark-haired counterpart was either. She looked down at her hands; it wasn't the first day Sasuke had been absent. He had been gone for two days now, and she had no idea what had happened to him.

"_Maybe he's sick." _Sakura thought. _"He never did like calling either of us when he was sick. He says he doesn't want us to worry about him…. That idiot…not telling us just makes us worry more." _

Sakura sighed and brought her eyes to the front of the class where their teacher, Kakashi Hatake, had already begun his daily lecture. She could only hope her assumption was right.

'"'"'"'"

Later that day at lunch, Sakura sat around with all of her girl friends. Her blond friend, Ino Yamanaka, was in the middle of telling some story to a shy, white-eyed girl named Hinata Hyuga. While her other blond friend, Temari, absentmindedly ate her lunch.

"Hello ladies."

All four girls looked up when the voice called. Naruto walked up to their table and took a seat by Sakura.

"Hey Naruto," Ino greeted, "where's your partner in crime today?"

"Beats me," Naruto answered. "I haven't seen or heard from him in the past two days." He turned to look at me. "You haven't either, right Sakura?"

Sakura shook her head. "No, but I did try calling him once."

"And?" Temari spoke up.

"He didn't answer. I don't know why, he always does."

"Except for that time," Ino stated.

"Yes, Ino, thank you for pointing out the obvious." I huffed. "I hope he's okay."

"Ah, there's no reason to worry too much about him." Naruto announced. "After all, the last time he didn't come to school was because he had broken his hands and couldn't dial or write, and that's why we didn't know."

"You do realize that just gives me more reason to worry." Sakura shot back. "I don't want to find out he's been hurt again or anything!"

"Awe, someone's in _looove._" Ino giggled.

Sakura glared at Ino. "No I'm not! Sasuke's one of my best friends and I want to make sure he's okay!"

Ino gasped. "Speaking of love, check out who's here!" She pointed behind Sakura towards the exit.

Everyone turned and saw who Ino was pointing at. It was Neji Hyuga, also known as Sasuke's successor in the fangirl realm.

"So?" Sakura questioned as she turned her head back. "He's just a guy."

"A very good looking guy," Ino clarified, "and a very _single _junior."

"So why would he take interest in a sophomore?" Sakura replied.

"Oh, just stay out of my dream land Ms. Reality." Ino huffed.

"Wow, now that was a crappy comeback."

"I have boys on the brain, cut me some slack."

"So why don't you guys ever act like that when _I _come in?" Naruto asked as he looked around the table at the girls.

Hinata flushed pink and the rest of the girls laughed and shook their heads.

"…What did I say?" Naruto asked which caused the girls to laugh once again.

"Oh, uh, just, you know…the thought of…." Sakura stammered before she, Ino, and Temari started to giggle some more.

"I'm not getting it! Hinata, what are they saying?" Naruto questioned and looked towards said girl.

"Oh, um…uh…well…." Hinata stuttered, her face becoming hotter by the second.

"Oh, not you too! What am I missing?" Naruto groaned.

"What's so funny?"

Everyone's heads shot up at the voice. Most of the girl's eyes widened as they saw Neji standing just a few feet from their table.

"Neji, oh, um…well…." Ino stammered.

Naruto turned his head to the new arrival. "Do you know what they mean when they do that? I'm just not getting it."

At that moment Ino looked like she wanted to strangle Naruto for taking Neji's attention away from her, Hinata was trying to regain her normal skin temperature, and Temari and Sakura were watching the whole thing unfold while Neji looked down at Naruto with a confused expression.

Neji then shrugged his shoulders and walked off like he had never even stopped at the table.

Ino groaned. "Naruto, you scared away the man candy!"

Naruto's eyes widened. "There's candy? How do you scare it?"

"You're an idiot." Sakura huffed. "Both of you."

"This is why I need Teme around! I gotta have guy-to-guy conversation! The girly-ness is gonna explode my poor head!"

"Feel free to explode, air head." Ino hissed.

"Low blow, Ino, low blow." Naruto responded.

As everyone else laughed, Sakura looked off into space. Her mind was consumed with burning questions concerning Sasuke. Was he alright? Would he be back soon? Was he sick, injured, or just away with his family? She knew she shouldn't worry too much, but this time she just couldn't help it. Something felt…different about his absence, and she had no idea whether that was a good thing, or a bad one.

'"'"'"'"

The bell rang, and teenagers poured from the doors of their school in anticipation to go home. Sakura was swept along by the crowd until she found herself outside. She began to walk towards the exit of the school; her home was a little under half a mile away, so walking was always the simplest way home.

"Sakura…Haruno?"

Sakura turned as someone called her name, and was almost surprised to see Neji behind her.

"Oh, uh, Neji…yes, what is it?" Sakura asked.

"Are you going to walk home?" He questioned.

Sakura nodded her head, not entirely sure where the conversation was going.

"Can I…walk you?"

Sakura's eyes widened slightly. "Oh…well…I…guess that'd be okay…."

Neji smiled a little, and walked up to Sakura. "Good, let's get going."

Sakura nodded her head again, and the two began on their way. Sakura fidgeted a little nervously with her bag; she didn't know much about Neji, and now here he was asking to walk her home.

She couldn't resist the urge to press. "So what brought this on?"

Neji looked over at her with such an innocent expression Sakura had to look twice to make sure it wasn't just her eyes messing with her. "Should there be a good reason? I see you walking home a lot and I thought since I go the same way you could use some company."

"Oh…." Sakura responded. She felt a little bit confused with Neji's accusation; sure she walked a lot, but normally Sasuke walked with her since they lived in the same neighborhood.

"_I guess maybe he noticed Sasuke wasn't here today and decided to do this…." _Sakura thought. _"Yeah…I guess…."_

"So do you know where that Uchiha has been?" Neji suddenly asked.

Sakura turned to Neji. "Sasuke…? I don't really know…he hasn't called me or my friends."

Neji grunted, which Sakura believed was his indication that he understood, and things fell silent between the two for a while.

Finally, Neji broke the silence. "You're younger than me, aren't you?" –Sakura nodded her head— "Then why is it I see you in some of my classes?"

"Oh, uh, well, I'm just an overachiever I guess…." Sakura answered. "I'm taking mostly advanced classes."

"Yeah, I'm the same way, but I stuck to advanced classes in my own level. Don't you feel kind of left out when you're in a class of mostly juniors?"

"Oh…well…a little…but my friend Temari is a junior too, and she's taking the advanced math class I'm in."

"I see…and I'm in your science and History classes."

Sakura nodded. "Yeah, you are…my friend Ino is so jealous of me because of that."

Neji looked over at Sakura quizzically, and Sakura realized she had said more than she had meant to.

"O-oh, you know…the girl who was talking to you at our lunch table…that's Ino…. She's…guy crazy." Sakura stammered.

"Yeah, I got that impression a while ago." Neji responded, and turned back to looking forward.

Sakura looked down at the sidewalk absentmindedly. Talking to Neji felt awkward, yet it also felt a little comforting, like she was talking to Sasuke. The two _were_ pretty alike.

"Is this your place?"

Sakura looked up; Neji had stopped and was looking away from her. Sakura turned her gaze in his direction, and realized he was right; they were at Sakura's house already.

"Yeah, it is." Sakura replied, and started to walk forward into her front yard. "I'll see you at school, Neji."

"Wait, Sakura." Neji called.

Sakura spun around to face him.

"Next time our science teacher assigns us to find partners…why don't you and I get together?" He suggested.

Sakura blinked a couple times as she processed what Neji had said. "Oh, um…sure…I'd love to."

Neji smirked at her. "Okay. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, bye." Sakura muttered as Neji began to walk down the road.

Sakura stood there for a couple of seconds until she finally managed to gather herself back up and turned to her front door.

"_I guess this means…I've made a new friend…. Ino is going to be brooding over this for a week." _With that thought, Sakura smiled a little as she stepped through the door of her house.

**And that concludes chapter uno! (Yes, I am actually partially versed in the Spanish language. But now I can barely speak it for shit….) Anyway, kinda…different from what I normally write, we've actually got some other guy in there causing a ruckus! And where's Sasuke? Well, most of that should be answered next chapter. So, this goes to bLuEniGhtRaVe since she's the one who actually asked that I make a story like this. Whatcha think so far? Good, bad, meh, idk, idc (so mean), wtf is wrong with you, you spazz of a writer? (Ain't I though?) Okay, yeah…right…well then, till the next chapter of whatever I update! **


	2. Breaking News

**Chapter Two- Breaking News**

"Sasuke Uchiha," Kakashi called from the front of the class. "Not here again, eh…?"

Sakura sighed, it had been a whole week, and still there was no sign of Sasuke. He hadn't even contacted her or Naruto. She was beginning to grow increasingly worried about what had happened to her friend.

Something suddenly poked Sakura in the back and she jolted slightly. She turned her head and saw a paper on the floor. She blinked once and then picked it up. She moved it under her desk so Kakashi wouldn't see, and opened it.

_Don't look so sad, Sakura, I'm sure he's fine. He's just too much of a Teme to pick up a stupid phone! X)_

Sakura turned her head and looked at her blond counterpart who had a silly, reassuring grin on his face like the little picture he had drawn. She smiled back at him and folded up the paper. Naruto was right, she thought, Sasuke was alright, and he'd be back eventually.

'"'"'"'"

At lunch Sakura sat with Naruto. Hinata hadn't come to school that day due to a slight cold, and Ino and Temari had both stated that some others wanted them to sit at their lunch tables. Sakura poked idly at the salad she had, and Naruto was immersed in a hamburger which he was getting everywhere with all the ketchup he had slathered onto it.

Someone suddenly cleared their throat from behind Sakura. "May I sit down?"

Sakura turned and saw Neji behind her. Ever since the day he first walked her home he had been doing so. Sakura didn't mind, he was actually very good company, and they had a lot of the same interests as they found out through multiple conversations.

"Oh yeah, sure," Sakura responded, and Neji took the seat that was available next to her.

Naruto looked up when the new arrival took his seat, and swallowed what food he had in his mouth before he spoke. "Come on Sakura, I know he's quiet and ice cube-ish, but you don't have to start looking for a Sasuke substitute _already_."

Sakura scoffed. "Naruto, don't say stuff like that. Neji's almost nothing like Sasuke."

Naruto looked at Neji. "Sorry man, you heard her, you failed the 'Sasuke substitution test'."

Sakura shook her head and looked apologetically at Neji. "Sorry, he's always like this."

"It's fine." Neji replied. "Now that I know I'm out of the running to replace Sasuke I can start running to be an actual friend."

Naruto blinked for a second. "_Friend? _Why do we need to be friends with some older guy?"

"Why not?" Neji retorted.

"…You're trying to hypnotize us aren't you? Take our brains! Mutilate our limbs! Rape Sakura! No Sakura! You don't want to be acquainted with a rapist! It's just wrong! Wrong I tell you! Wro—oi!"

A vein in Sakura's forehead twitched as she watched Naruto cower back into his seat with a mark on his head where an apple Sakura had with her had nailed him.

"Naruto, you be quiet." Sakura ordered. "Neji…I'm sorry you had to bear witness to that…he needs medication, he really does."

"Hey, I'm just protecting us from—holy shit,"—Naruto ducked as a fork flew over his head—"from potential rapist. You know eighty percent of rape victims know the attacker."

"…I don't know whether I should throw something at you, or congratulate you for actually paying attention in Health class." Sakura sighed.

Neji smirked. "Well, it's very amusing to watch your antics, but I guess I'll get going for now. I'll see you in science Sakura."

"Right, see you then." Sakura replied as Neji stood and walked away. Sakura then turned and glared at Naruto. "Naruto, that was rude."

"And trying to skewer my brain with a fork is not?" Naruto retorted.

Sakura shook her head. "Oh whatever, just be nicer next time, okay? I'm trying to be social."

"Since when did you care about social blah-dady-blah?" Naruto questioned. "You used to say you were perfectly fine with the group we have now, and that you didn't need anyone else."

Naruto fell silent for a moment, and then suddenly grinned widely.

"You're not crushing on the Teme's second-classer are you?"

"Sasuke's second what? And no! Hell no! He just walked me home one day and we started chatting and finding things in common and…became friends."

Naruto sighed. "Good, at least you're not cheating on Teme."

Sakura's brow rose. "Cheating? On Sasuke? Just what crack are you on? We're not even dating."

Naruto shook his head. "I know, juuust saying."

Sakura gazed at Naruto skeptically for a moment, but then sighed and returned to her original idle prodding of her food.

'"'"'"'"

Sakura sat in her science class. Neji sat next to her. Like they had agreed, their teacher made them all partner up, and they had done so. They currently looked down into a microscope at some of the samples the teacher had given them.

"…I think that's a spider's leg." Sakura stated as she pulled her eye away from the microscope lens.

"I think you're right." Neji nodded, and wrote down some things in a notebook.

Sakura smiled. "So we're done. That went a lot faster than usual."

Neji looked over at her. "Yeah, and it helps when two of the smartest people in this class are working together."

Sakura blushed a little. "Well, I wouldn't say I'm one of the smartest…."

"Don't be too modest. Just look at some of the people who are in this class."

Sakura looked up and around the class. Around were several juniors, and about a third of them were still trying to figure out how to operate the microscope.

"Well…I guess…but look, Tenten and Kankuro seem to be finishing up." Sakura pointed towards the mentioned pair a couple tables behind them.

Neji frowned slightly. "Hn, I guess."

Sakura stared at Neji's expression for a moment. She still didn't know much about the boy, but she knew enough to know his expression was…odd for someone like him. But she blew it off when Neji turned to her and suggested telling the teacher that they were finished.

Sakura nodded her head. "Well…good working with you."

Neji smirked. "Yeah, we should do it again some time."

Neji then stood up and walked over to the teacher. Sakura watched him for a moment in thought.

"_Neji really is a good guy…really nothing close to Sasuke besides the quiet nature…and I guess how both of them do start to open up if you're actually a friend to them." _

The thought of Sasuke and comparing him to someone else made her heart churn a little. She still wondered what on earth had happened to him.

_He's just too much of a Teme to pick up a stupid phone! _

Naruto's reassuring words rang through her head, and it comforted her slightly. She gave a small smile; she had no reason to doubt her friend's words…hopefully.

'"'"'"'"

Sakura walked alongside the road with Neji, just as their normal routine had become.

"He doesn't really bother me too much, I'm sure I'll get used to it after a while." Neji stated.

"Oh, okay then." Sakura responded. "I just don't want Naruto to give you a headache or anything with all his crazy antics."

Neji shook his head. "It's alright."

"Yeah…so how are your other classes? I mean the ones I'm not in." Sakura asked.

"They're pretty boring…the only girls in my other classes are fangirls."

"Oh, I get what you mean."

Neji blinked and looked over at Sakura.

"Oh, I mean, Sasuke…he's followed everywhere by fangirls all the time. And he confides in me how annoying it is."

"Ah…so where has he been lately?"

Sakura looked down. "I…really don't know. It's been over a week and I still haven't heard a thing. I'm…getting worried."

Neji's expression softened slightly as he looked down at Sakura. They stopped in front of Sakura's house as he gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "He's probably fine. If I know guys like Sasuke, they say nothing because they don't want you to worry."

Sakura gazed up at Neji. "Yeah…that's what me and Naruto keep thinking."

Neji nodded. "Good, I'll see you later." He then started to take off down the road.

Sakura watched him go for a moment, and then started to walk over to her front door. She walked inside and entered the kitchen where her mom was cooking.

"Hey mom." Sakura greeted.

"Oh, hello Sakura. How was school?" Sakura's mother asked merrily.

"Fine…I'm getting along." Sakura never really felt an inclination to talk to her mother about Sasuke's disappearance or how she's becoming friends with Neji. Her mother would probably go into a tizzy hearing her talking about so many different guys.

The sounds of the door closing vibrated through the house. Sakura's father then entered the kitchen.

"Welcome home honey!" Sakura mother exclaimed.

"Hello girls." Her father nodded.

Sakura took it upon herself at that moment to slip out of the room. She started to head towards her room when she caught her parents' conversation.

"So how's Mikoto doing?" She heard her mother ask. (A/N: In here, I'm having Sasuke's parents alive.)

"She and the family are fine. Fugaku called me earlier, and he says the move went well. They're doing fine in their new home."

Sakura froze and started to contemplate what her parents said. Was that the reason Sasuke hadn't been at school? He was busy helping his family move into a new home? But why would he be moving around town and not even tell her or Naruto?

"So how do they like the new town? The five hour drive must have been killer on them." Her mother questioned.

Sakura's knees nearly gave out at that moment. Five hours? Moving? Did Sasuke and his family really…?

"Well, he said Sasuke was moping the whole time, but he should start adjusting to the new town soon enough. He probably just misses Sakura and Naruto."

Sakura nearly fainted as she let out the breath she didn't know she held. Sasuke had moved! His whole family moved out of town! …And…he never told her. He never told her, or Naruto, hell, he didn't even seem to have told the school! But why? That was what Sakura really wanted to know. Why hadn't he told anyone? Why hadn't he told her?

Something wet slid down Sakura's cheeks, and then she took off up the stairs, down the hall, into her room, flew onto her bed, and then she let her grieving emotions take control of her.

**Dun, dun, duuun! How was that? Worth the wait? I hope it was pretty good. I'm working to make this good. Well, in other news…uh…happy October! Oh how I love October. It's the first whole month of fall, the time of fall break from schools, **_**Halloween baby! **_**Man I love Halloween, it's why I'm wearing a sorcerer hat right now. (For my costume I got today, though it looks like a typical witch hat with crescent moons on it.) But one of the best parts…it's my birthday month! One year older, one year wiser, hopefully not another year taller because I'm tall enough dang it! Oh, and it's the time where candy corn is on the loose! I'm even eating some right now! Ah…good stuff. Yay for the month of October! Yay for updates! Yay, I've finally finished talking and you guys can finally hear me shut up. Till later! **


	3. Grief and Relief

**Chapter Three- Grief and Relief**

"Why didn't he tell me? Why didn't he tell us?" Sakura whimpered into the phone she held.

"Hell if I know." Naruto grumbled from the other side. Sakura had just finished telling him what she found out and needless to say he was angry.

"I mean…a flu I can understand…that's what he always does…but something like _this_? What reason could there be for keeping us in the dark on something so big?"

"Damn it, that Teme…I really don't know." Naruto responded.

Sakura let out a shaky sigh. "Sorry if I'm…venting or something…if it's annoying I'll go."

Sakura could almost imagine the smile Naruto probably had on his face as he spoke. "Hey, that's what best friends do; we listen to each other, especially if they're sad."

Sakura smiled lightly. "Yeah…you're right."

"Well…I'm gonna go leave him a very rude voice mail right now that'll have him regretting what he did, so I'll see you at school."

"Right…I'll see you." Sakura replied, and then hung up the phone.

Sakura put down the phone and stood there for a moment. Her eyes began to swim with tears again.

"Sasuke…why? Why did you leave us without a word? Why?"

'"'"'"'"

Sakura sat in her History class with a dazed expression. All of her work was finished, and while this gave her some free time, it also gave her an opening where Sasuke began to plague her thoughts. She didn't cry this time, mostly because she had already cried enough, but also because she didn't want to break down in a classroom.

"_I still don't understand…why did he hide something so big from us? Why did he decide to leave us in the dark? Why…?"_

"Spacing out?"

Sakura snapped out of her thoughts at the voice. She looked up, Neji stood over her. They also shared a History class.

"Huh…oh…." Sakura breathed.

Neji swerved around the table and sat in the chair next to Sakura. "Is something wrong?" He asked as he took the seat.

Sakura gazed at Neji for a moment as he spoke, but then averted her gaze and shifted it to the table in front of her. She contemplated whether or not she should really tell Neji about the Sasuke deal, she didn't want to sound like she was just preaching her emotions to him.

Neji seemed to understand the mental conflict she was having. "You know…I'm open to listen. I'm a pretty patient and understanding person."

Sakura lifted her head and looked back at Neji; her eyes portrayed her mixed emotions. "We…found out where Sasuke disappeared to…."

Neji looked at her curiously, silently urging her to go on.

Sakura shifted her gaze away again. "He…he moved away…and he…didn't tell us."

Sakura couldn't see Neji's face, so she couldn't tell how he reacted at all to the news. He just sat there silently, not saying a word.

Finally he spoke. "Well…sounds like he's just a horrible guy…not telling his best friends something so important."

Sakura shook her head. "I know…I know I should think he's terrible for doing what he did…but I just can't…all I feel is sadness…."

Neji reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. Sakura looked up when she felt the contact, and met Neji's soft gaze.

"It's alright…you're just going through the grieving process. You'll heal with time."

Sakura continued to gaze up at Neji, even after he had looked away. Finally she smiled weakly. "Thank you…." She muttered.

"What?" Neji inquired.

Sakura shook her head. "Nothing…. You're right…."

'"'"'"'"

Sakura and Neji walked along the side of the road, school was out and they were heading home.

"So Naruto's pretty bent out of shape, too," Sakura finished, and let out a deep sigh. She had just finished explaining everything to Neji.

"It'll be alright. Just give it some time, and maybe someday he'll pick up a phone and explain to you guys why he did what he did." Neji stated in a soothing tone.

Sakura looked forward down the road and nodded her head. "I hope…."

"You know…if you ever need just someone to talk to about things like this, I'll be willing to listen." Neji said comfortingly.

Sakura felt her cheeks grow a little pink at the sudden, comforting declaration. "Oh, but I don't want you to think I'm annoying or anything….or a burden."

"Why would I think you're a burden or annoying?"

Sakura was caught off for a moment at the question, and shifted her gaze down to the books she held in her arms. "Well…you know…normally guys don't like listening to girls banter on and on about some problem they're having…and so they start thinking they're annoying."

Neji shook his head. "I don't see why you would think that. Maybe you're just thinking of the wrong people. We're friends right? We listen to each other when something's bothering one of us."

Sakura looked back up at Neji as Naruto's words from earlier played through her head. He had said almost the exact same thing.

"…Thanks…." Sakura muttered.

"Thanks for what?" Neji asked.

"Thanks for…being so nice. I mean, we barely even know each other and you're still doing so much for me."

Neji smiled kindly. "It's nothing; it's what comes naturally when you have a friend."

"I know…I just wish I had a better way to express how thankful I am."

"You don't have to do anything." Neji responded. "Just knowing that I'm helping is good enough."

Sakura nearly blushed. Only Naruto and Sasuke had ever been this nice to her, it felt sort of odd, but also great to know there was another person there to help and comfort her when things get rough.

The two suddenly stopped in front of Sakura's house.

"Well, this is my stop…thank you again Neji." Sakura beamed.

"Yeah, but again, it's nothing. It's what friends are for."

Sakura nodded her head. "Right…well…see you at school."

Sakura began to turn away, but Neji suddenly called after her. "Wait a second, Sakura."

Sakura stopped and swiveled around to face him. "Uh…yes?"

Neji smirked. "If you ever need someone to talk to face-to-face and we're not in school, or just if you ever want to hang out…I'm right down the road. I'm just six houses down."

Now Sakura did slightly blush. She had only ever been over to two boys houses before, and that was Sasuke's and Naruto's, the sudden invite threw her off a little.

"Oh…well…." Sakura stammered. "S-sure…thank you."

"You really need to stop saying thank you, it's not necessary. It's a simple act of kindness."

Sakura fidgeted with the end of her shirt. "Oh…okay…tha—uh…I'll see you later then."

Neji nodded. "I'll see you later."

With that Neji turned and continued on his way down the road. Sakura stood there in her front yard for a couple of seconds until she too turned back around and went for the front door of her house.

Sakura opened the front door, and was suddenly met by the face of her mother.

"Oh, hey mom," Sakura greeted.

Sakura's mother suddenly grinned slyly. "So who was that older boy?"

Sakura blushed a little, knowing her mother's thoughts. "Mom, it's not like that! He's a friend from a few of my advanced classes."

Her mother's grin faltered a little. "Oh, well alright. Is he starting to become a special friend?"

Sakura shook her head exasperatedly. "Mom, you and your fantasies. He's a very nice guy, but it's nothing like that." With that Sakura walked past her mother towards the stairs to go up to her room.

Sakura entered her room, put down her books, and sat down on her bed.

"Mom's so crazy…." Sakura sighed.

Sakura's thoughts strayed back to what Neji had offered her before she went inside. _"If you ever need someone to talk to face-to-face and we're not in school, or just if you ever want to hang out…I'm right down the road."_

Sakura smiled lightly. In such a short amount of time Neji had grown into such a good friend. He actually did remind her quite a bit of Sasuke with how beneath his silent exterior laid a kind person.

"_Neji Hyuga huh…who'd have thought…?" _

**And chapter three has come to a close! People really seem to be liking this story. And now that my other two stories are done with I can focus on this one! Of course lately I have been doing some oneshot work. How long has it been since I published an oneshot? I mean really. Just yesterday I came up with a pretty good one though! But right now there's this really tiny aspect of it I'm stuck on in the actual writing…it's like the little pebble that's keeping a big wheel from turning. I should be able to come up with something soon, though. I have so many ideas but not enough inspiration to get them all through right now! It's killing me man…. And there are only a few days left to my break! What's a writer to do? I may start writing chapters in advanced and then stocking up on those so I can still keep a steady stream flowing, but my want to get things done and out kinda stops me…we shall just have to see! Till my next update! **


	4. The Relieving Process

**Chapter Four- The Relieving Process**

Sakura gazed up at the place in marvel. "So this is what you guys meant?" Sakura asked, awestruck.

Neji and Naruto stood behind her, and as she turned to face them they both nodded. Trailing behind them as well were Hinata, Ino, and Temari.

Sakura grinned happily and turned back around to gaze at the sight before her. The Cherry Blossom Festival was in town. Rides, attractions, and several other things were weaved throughout the pink decorations of the beautiful petals. Sakura could hardly contain her joy, as this was the first time all of them had gone to the festival in such a big group.

Sakura turned and beamed at everyone. "So what are we waiting for?"

All the girls nodded and stepped past the boys. Giggling and linking arms, all of them paraded down the main road of the festival, leaving Naruto and Neji standing at the front entrance.

Naruto turned to Neji. "Well, I have to say I'm pretty grateful to you."

Neji raised a brow at Naruto's words. "For what?"

"For taking care of Sakura while she was feeling so down. Whatever you've been saying to her really seems to be helping her cope with Sasuke's leaving." Naruto explained.

Neji shrugged his shoulders. "It was nothing. She just opened up to me and I listened."

A scowl suddenly formed on Naruto's face. "Yeah, but don't you go trying anything on her, got it?"

Neji glanced at Naruto quizzically. "Try anything?"

"Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about." Naruto responded. "You're stepping forward right now, but one step back, one thing that may hurt Sakura, and I'll make sure to break that calm, cool face of yours."

Neji slightly glared at Naruto. "What makes you think I'd do anything to hurt her? And what exactly are you insinuating that I may do?"

Naruto huffed, shook his head, and began to walk forward. He stopped though, and turned his head towards Neji. "Just…make sure she has only good thoughts for today. She deserves such happiness."

Neji watched Naruto go forward, and then he smirked and went to catch up with him. "You don't need to worry about that. I already know."

'"'"'"'"

"EEEEEEEEEKKKK!" All four girls screamed as their ride suddenly sent them plummeting down to earth, only to rip them back up into the air.

"Aww, my eardrum!" Naruto exclaimed as they were whipped around.

Sakura, who had heard Naruto because she was seated next to him, let out a laugh at his exclamation. "You decided to come along with us!"

"Only because I didn't know the price I'd pay was an ear!" Naruto replied.

Sakura's laugh turned into another scream as their ride took another dive towards the ground. (A/N: Okay…they're not riding a roller coaster. They're riding…something…I've seen stuff like it before, but I don't know the names of any other rides for the life of me.)

"I'm gonna be deaf…I'm gonna be sick…I'm gonna be deaf…" Naruto chanted for the rest of the ride.

The ride came to a stop, and everyone was let off with dizzying steps. Ino giggled almost drunkenly as she took a few steps, and then fell sideways onto Temari. "That was greaaaat!" Ino exclaimed. "Let's do it again!"

"Have fun with that." Naruto responded, swaying slightly with his steps. "I'm gonna go lay down on a bench somewhere…."

"I-I'll go too…." Hinata stammered, clearly looking dizzy.

Naruto and Hinata stumbled off from the group towards a cherry blossom tree. Sakura giggled as they went. "Awe, now they get their alooone time."

Neji flinched slightly. "He won't do anything to my cousin, right?"

Sakura blinked. "Cou—oh yeah! Hinata's a Hyuga, too! Don't worry, Naruto's harmless."

Ino stumbled over and leaned on Sakura. "You never know Sakuraaa. Maybe Naruto will finally grow a pair and make a move on our little white-eyed friend."

"I-Ino! Don't say that!" Sakura chided, glancing over at Neji to see his reaction, he looked a little disturbed.

"Awe, but we all know they looove each other." Ino grinned. "The only ones who don't know are themselves!"

Sakura shook her head. "Just go puke on your ride."

Ino stared at Sakura for a moment. "I'd rather not puke…but I will take up that ride again! Let's go Temari!"

Ino turned away from Sakura to face Temari, who stood behind them. She linked an arm with her blond counterpart, and the two skipped off to the line for the ride they had just gotten off. Sakura and Neji stood there for a moment and watched as the two went on their way. Sakura then turned to face Neji with a smile on her face.

"Well then, it's just the two of us now. What should we do?" Sakura asked.

Neji seemed to think for a moment, and then shrugged his shoulders. Sakura sighed, unsure of what to do either.

"Well then…we could always just walk around and see what catches our eye." Sakura suggested.

Neji took a moment and then nodded his head, and then the two set off down the road. They passed by soda and hotdog stands, candy carts, booths with little games and toy prizes, and a number of big rides.

Finally something caught Sakura's eye. She turned and saw a shooting booth, and hanging from the side of the booth was the prize of a beautiful cherry blossom tapestry. Sakura stood there for a moment marveling at its design as Neji continued on, froze, turned around, spotted Sakura, and went back to her. He followed her gaze and saw the tapestry that she stared at, and then he saw the shooting game you had to play in order to win it. It would take five consecutive shots to a target in order to win it.

Neji looked down at Sakura for a moment then until he finally opened his mouth. "Do you want me to get it for you?"

Sakura snapped out of her trance and blushed at Neji's offer. She waved her hands dismissively. "O-oh no, I mean…maybe…I could probably win it myself."

Neji looked at Sakura, to the game, and then back at her. "If you think you can. I'll play anyway."

Sakura nodded and the two approached the booth. Sakura reached into a purse and pulled out her money, Neji reached into a pocket and did the same thing. Both of them were handed little guns to shoot. Sakura looked back up at the tapestry, she'd have to shoot five of the smaller targets in a row to get it, and she only had six shots.

Both lifted their weapons then, and took aim. They fired, Neji hit a small target, but Sakura just missed. She pressed her lips together, but let it go. She still had the last five shots. All she had to do was not miss another shot.

She took aim again, but Neji could tell she was going to miss. He decided to speak up. "Just calm down and focus, then it'll be a breeze."

Sakura was caught off for a moment at Neji's statement, but consented to his advice by taking a deep breath before realigning her shot. She fired and hit it. Content with her success, she realized Neji was right, and after that it really was easy. Sakura succeeded with all five shots, and got what she wanted. Neji got all six, but told the person running it that he only did it for fun and didn't want a prize.

Sakura rolled up the tapestry and started to walk down the road. "I'm just going to go put this in the car real quick." She told Neji.

Neji began to follow her. "Alright, I'll go with."

The two walked together for some time in companionable silence until they reached the car. Sakura dug through her purse once more and pulled out a pair of keys. She unlocked the car, put the tapestry inside, and shut the door.

Sakura turned to face Neji. "Thanks for your help back there…but what would you have done if I had missed any of those other shots? I mean, you didn't even get anything."

"Then I would have gotten that for you, plain and simple." Neji responded.

Sakura giggled. "You know…you're a really great guy, Neji."

Neji smirked. "And you're a nice girl. It's fun hanging out with you."

Sakura blushed a little, and then quickly turned away. "Well, we better go find everyone. Ino and Temari may have passed out by now with all the rides, and knowing Naruto he's probably still at that tree sleeping or something."

Neji watched Sakura with a soft expression on his face for a moment before he went to catch up. "Yeah, you're probably right."

The two began on their way down the road to find their friends.

"Oh, and Neji?"

"Hn?"

"Thank you."

"Didn't I say you didn't need to say thank you for everything?"

"Haha, I know, but I really mean it, everything seems to go so great when you're around."

Neji smirked. "Well then…you're welcome."

**And we're done! And it's only been a day since my last update of this story! Of course now I am doing what I said I would before with stockpiling! Now this is ready for whenever I want to put it up! And there's more to come! Oh yeah…and for anyone who knows what a real Cherry Blossom Festival is like…sorry if I most probably completely eff-ed it up. I have no idea how a real one is, and it was just what I could picture when I thought of something that would make Sakura happy! So…spare me! As I plot it, there should one more chapter of whee-happy-happy-people-blah, then things are gonna start taking a dark turn for the final two chapters of "Cold Comfort"! Dun-dun-duuuun! Await it! **


	5. Maybe, Maybe

**Chapter Five- Maybe, Maybe**

An entire month had passed since the day of the festival, five weeks since Sakura discovered that Sasuke had left. With all her friends help, especially from Neji, Sakura had managed to pass through the grieving process, and now life had returned back to near normal.

Sakura giggled with Ino and Hinata at the lunch table. The three were immersed in a closed circle of feminine conversation which left Naruto and Neji at the other end of the table with confused expressions on their faces.

"What is it girls talk about when they group together like that?" Naruto wondered aloud as he subconsciously prodded at some mashed potatoes in his lunch.

Neji shrugged. "Why don't you try getting close enough to listen? Eavesdrop."

"More like commit suicide." Naruto responded as he slowly lifted up a spoonful of the potatoes he was inadvertently eating. "You know how girls get when they know you're listening in on their conversations."

Neji huffed as Naruto's grip on his spoon faltered and he dropped the glob of mashed potatoes onto his pants. "At least it means that they're all functioning normally."

Naruto looked up from scooping the potatoes from his pants and blinked. "Girls…oh, yeah. It's been over a month now, hasn't it?"

Neji nodded. "Has he called you?"

"Not once." Naruto scowled. "The Teme…I bet he doesn't even fully realize what he did to Sakura."

Neji remained silent. Sakura had indeed seemed to revert back to her normal self over the month she spent with him and everyone else, but he knew inside she was probably still hurt. Naruto realized this too, which is why it made them both happy to see her doing normal girl activities, even if it did drive them nuts with curiosity.

Naruto grinned as he finished wiping off the rest of the potatoes. "I swear, if I ever see him again, I'll smack him upside the head, give him a bear hug that I hope hurts his spine, and throw him over to Sakura's house."

"Hmph, I'm not sure exactly how smart that'd be, seeing as Sakura may either break down, beat him up, or just wouldn't say anything, while if your stories of Sasuke are right, he may not say anything." Neji responded.

"Oh, they'll both say something. Teme may be an ice cube, and Sakura may break his arm, heh, that wouldn't be so bad though, but anyway…they'd talk about it eventually. No getting around that, they're actually very talkative with each other."

"What are you guys talking about? I keep hearing my name."

The boys looked up, the girls were gazing at them with the same curious expressions the boys had before over their conversation.

Naruto cleared his throat. "What are _you _guys talking about? I mean, you guys talk, giggle, talk again, and never let us in on what's going on!"

Sakura sighed. "Oh Naruto, you wouldn't understand. You're a _boy_."

"Hey, I am a man! I even have a moustache growing!" Naruto retorted.

"That's one tiny moustache then, or does it only appear in the 'right light'." Ino giggled, causing the other girls to join her in their little laughs.

"…Yes…I mean, these lights practically make blond body hair invisible!"

At that the girls just increased their giggles to full out laughs, which left both the boys to once again sit there out of their loop as they soon formed back into their little pack.

'"'"'"'"

"Oh, is that really okay?" Sakura asked.

Neji nodded. "It'll be fine; some others are going to be there, too."

"Well…okay. Let me just drop my stuff off and tell my mom where I'll be, and I'd love to come over for a while." Sakura beamed.

Sakura and Neji currently walked along the side of the road after school. Neji had suggested to Sakura that she come over to his house for a while, and now they were going to go there.

"So who's coming?" Sakura questioned.

"Well, Ino was the one who suggested that we hang out, so obviously she invited herself."

Sakura let out a short laugh. "That sounds like Ino alright. Is anyone else coming?"

"My friend Tenten is. She happened to hear Ino suggesting her plan, and she asked to come along as well. We've been friends for a while, and she said we hadn't hung out in a while so…."

"I see…isn't she in our science class?"

Neji nodded as they stopped in front of Sakura's house. Sakura told Neji to wait there, dashed inside, dropped off her school items, told her mother where she was going, and began to head out the door.

"Sakura, hold on!" Her mother suddenly called.

Sakura turned on her heel. "What is it?"

"Be careful."

Sakura sighed. "I'm just hanging out with a few friends. I do it all the time. There's nothing to worry about."

With that, Sakura turned and strutted out the door over to Neji, who stood there patiently until she reached him, and then the two started off down the road.

As Sakura walked she couldn't help but glance over at Neji and stare at him for a bit. She observed the way he stared ahead coolly as they went on their way, how his long hair remained so flat against his back as he walked unless a gentle breeze came and ruffled it a little, shining lightly in the light to show how well-kept it was. She almost wanted to reach out and touch it.

Neji noticed her staring. "What's up?"

Sakura snapped out of her trance and looked up at Neji's face, it was a very mature, and actually very handsome one. She could now understand why so many girls chased after him as they did to Sasuke.

"O-oh, I'm fine. It's nothing." Sakura stammered. The two had come to an abrupt stop along the side of the road.

Neji looked down at Sakura skeptically for a moment, and then shrugged. "Well, let's be on our way. Ino and Tenten will probably be at my house soon."

"Oh…sure," Sakura replied as she slowly fell back into step with him.

"_What was with that?" _She wondered. _"Neji suddenly seems so…so…I don't really know…."_

Sakura stole another little glance at Neji. All she observed earlier was still so prominent on him. She couldn't really recall such a time where she noticed so much about a boy.

"_Am I…maybe…falling for him?" _Sakura thought, but soon pushed those thoughts away as they reached Neji's home and she spotted Ino in a car by the sidewalk. For now, it was all friendly matters to attend to.

'"'"'"'"

"Hahaha! And then he puts down the bat and goes 'Teme…are you a burglar or a rapist? What are you doing to poor Sakura?'" Ino laughed loudly as everyone else laughed along with her.

"Naruto is such an idiot sometimes…." Sakura sighed as the memory of Ino's story floated through her mind. "I can't believe the two of them really tried to pretend to be like a burglar and some old guy defending his house."

Everyone laughed again when Sakura finished speaking. The four of them sat in Neji's living room, drinking soda and sharing stories. Though Sakura noticed how Tenten was a little more silent than she had typically seen her act in school.

"Oh, Neji, remember the time Naruto came to school with that huge bug on his back?" Sakura inquired.

"And he tried to smash in by running into a wall that had wet paint? Yeah, that was pretty funny." Neji smirked.

"So that's why he had that huge paint splatter on his back?" Ino questioned.

Sakura nodded. "Yep."

"I never knew…." Ino breathed.

"Yeah, and the bug flew off while he was running, so he pretty much did it for nothing." Sakura grinned.

Ino shook her head. "What a waste of a shirt."

"No, a waste of a shirt was the one that Neji caught on fire." Sakura smiled deviously as she looked over in Neji's direction.

Tenten's eyes suddenly brightened. "Well, I've never heard this story. Do tell."

"Please don't." Neji huffed, looking away from all of them.

"Oh, but it's so funny!" Sakura exclaimed. "I mean, who else would be smart enough to go near an open flame after Naruto spilled lighter fluid on him?"

At that all the girls burst out laughing. Neji grimaced and kept looking off to the side away from the girls.

All their laughter was interrupted by the ringing of a phone. Sakura glanced down and pulled out her ringing phone from her pocket.

"Huh…the hospital…I wonder what's up." Sakura stated aloud as she began to stand up.

"You have the hospital's number in your cellphone?" Neji inquired.

"Sakura volunteers there, so of course she'd need the number." Ino replied as Sakura began to move towards the hallway with the phone still ringing.

Sakura reached the middle of the hallway and flipped open the phone. "Hello?"

"Sakura…" She immediately recognized the voice to belong to her mentor in the hospital, Tsunade.

"Oh, Lady Tsunade," Sakura sighed. "What is it?"

"It's…not good." Tsunade replied. "You see…"

"…"

Sakura's eyes widened and her knees felt weak. The phone dropped to the floor.

**Dun-dun-duuun! Why do I do that? I don't know…anyways! Cliffhanger! We are nearing the closing of the story! Yes, yes, sadly. This will only last a couple more chapters. Hmmm…I think this is turning out to be one hell of a dramatic hurt/comfort story…I can't believe I've done so well outside my own comfort zone! Well then…I do hope you people are enjoying so far! And now for the new chunk of this I'm typing in right before I upload this for you all…people who don't have homework tonight…you lucky bastards. I'm stuck with mine! Both physically and figuratively! How can you find the y-intercept of something if it doesn't even touch the y-axis? Stupid people! (If anyone can answer that, please do speak up, for anyone I just confused…see why you're so lucky?) Anyway, till later!**


	6. Crashing Down

**Chapter Six- Crashing Down**

Sakura moved swiftly through Neji's house, sputtering out a few almost incomprehensible words and then practically running out the door, down the road, and to her house. Her father was there, ready and waiting in a car. He knew she would come. She slid into the passengers' seat, and her father began to take off down the road.

"It's…going to be alright." Sakura's father stated in an attempt to sound comforting, but his own worry was very evident in his voice, and only added to the tension already built up inside the vehicle.

Sakura nodded her head absentmindedly as what Tsunade had told her rang through her head.

"_Sakura…your mother's been hurt." Tsunade had told her. "It was reported that after you left somebody broke into your home, thinking no one was there. He had a knife…and he found your mother. She was stabbed and then thrown down the stairs. Your father wasn't home, but your mother had enough energy after the burglar left and called the police. We…don't know if she'll make it or not." _

Sakura gripped the folds on her pant legs tightly, and she bit her tongue, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill.

Sakura and her father reached the hospital, and Sakura launched herself towards the front doors. Her father didn't stop her. She got inside and met Tsunade, who had a grim expression on her face.

Wordlessly, Tsunade inclined for Sakura to follow her, and the two began down the hallways of the hospital. They stepped inside an elevator, still completely silent. Sakura was caught up in her own little world at the moment, unsure of what would greet her when she walked into her mother's hospital room.

Sakura's whole body tensed as she felt something touch her shoulder. She looked up and met the soft gaze of her mentor, her hand rested on Sakura's shoulder. They still said nothing to each other, but Sakura was grateful for it, it was wordless comfort.

The elevator dinged, signaling that they had reached their destination. Tsunade took the lead once more, and led Sakura down the hallway. They stopped in front of a door, and stood there for a moment. Sakura knew Tsunade was waiting for her to go in first. Warily she reached out for the handle, and opened the door.

Sakura knew she'd be unnerved seeing her mother laying there on a hospital bed, but the impact of really being there, her mother looking so helpless and broken, hurt her more than she could imagine. She could see the bandages poking out from her mother's hospital gown; it was the place she had been stabbed. She had on a neck brace; the fall down the stairs must have broken her neck. Her left leg and arm were fractured as well.

Sakura fell into the chair beside her mother's bed as she heard her father enter the room. She reached out and grasped her mother's good right hand.

"_Be careful." _That's what he mother had told her before she left for Neji's house. She could almost crack a smile at the irony, but she didn't.

Sakura's father came and took a seat next to her. She glanced to the side; the pain etched onto his face could rival her own. They sat there for an immeasurable amount of time. Sakura kept a grip on her mother's hand, as if willing her own life force to flow into it and heal her mother.

"I…" her father stammered, searching for words to break the silence in the room, "I…only wish that I was there…to help her."

Sakura shook her head. "But then you'd have just been brought into it…and it may have been you here in the hospital bed rather than Mom."

"I wish it was me over your mother…." Sakura's father muttered.

"Don't think that…." Sakura responded quietly. "Mom wouldn't like it…then she'd be glad that she's in this position rather than one of us…."

"I wish none of us would be in this position…you should be with your friends right now, I should be at work, and your mother should be preparing dinner…."

"Yeah…I know…." Sakura whispered.

Silence fell between the two again; it wasn't exactly an awkward, nothing-to-say silence, as it was a comforting silence as they both shared in each other's grief.

_Br-br-brrring!_

The sudden noise made both Sakura and her father jump. Sakura's father looked around wildly at the monitors in the room as if thinking his wife was dying.

_Br-br-brrring!_

"Oh…sorry dad, it's my phone." Sakura stated awkwardly as she reached into her back pocket and pulled out a little cellphone. She stood up. "I'll be right outside."

Her father nodded as Sakura walked out of the room and flipped open her phone after reading the caller ID.

"What is it, Ino?" Sakura asked abruptly as she put the phone to her ear.

"Uh…things are kinda…awkward down here…." Ino stated.

Sakura sighed. "Compared to here…I don't even know what to say to my father…and Mom's…" Sakura trailed off and fell silent.

"No, I mean…eh…uh…I'm not entirely sure you want to hear it with the condition you're in…."

Sakura glanced around and found a bench; she took a seat in it before she responded. "Things couldn't possibly get much worse…lay it on me anyway."

Ino took in a deep breath. "Alright…see…after you left things got kinda quiet. Neji started to mutter some things about you, I guessed he was worried. I got up to go to the bathroom, and as I was finishing up I heard Tenten yelling."

"Yelling?" Sakura wondered aloud. "Why would she be yelling? She's been so silent."

"That's the thing. She was yelling at Neji about _you_."

Sakura blinked. "I'm…not quite getting what you're saying…."

"Well, she was yelling something along the lines of 'what the bleep is your problem Neji, I thought you were just reaching out for some younger friends, but instead I bleeping see you totally going after that pink haired bleep.' Stuff like that."

Sakura's breath caught as she heard this. "Why…why would Tenten have something against me? And what does she mean Neji was going after me?"

Ino sighed. "You never noticed how close Neji was trying to get to you? He was so laying some moves."

Sakura tensed, and her thoughts from before about how she had started to notice Neji went through her head. Did they both possibly like each other? She had to find out. "A-and then?"

"And then…" Ino's voice almost dropped to a whisper, "it doesn't get better."

Sakura sat quietly waiting for Ino to continue.

"Tenten yelled out a few more things, then there was some silence, I think she slapped Neji in the face. I heard a hand connect with something that sure sounded like skin. And then…uh…I'm really not sure you want to know."

"No," Sakura shook her head, even if Ino couldn't see her, "tell me."

Ino gulped on the other side of the line. "Alright…you see…I could hear Neji pretty well because by that time I was kinda going ninja hiding in the shadows of the hallway. Neji confessed…some things."

Sakura's heart fluttered a little, not entirely knowing what to expect. "What did he say?"

Ino hesitated before speaking. "He said he was using you…using you to get Tenten jealous…that…ugh, that jerk. He said you meant nothing to him, and that all he cared about was her."

Sakura's breathing stopped, and she nearly dropped her phone like she did before. Her grip tightened and she bit her lip before speaking. "Is that it?"

"Yeah…sorry Sakura…."

"You don't need to say you're sorry…I just…he…Neji…I'll…I'll call you back later…okay? I-I, I think I hear my father. I-I'm okay."

"Sakura," Ino called, but Sakura had already hung up the phone.

Sakura looked down at her phone, and gripped it so tightly it just may have broken in her hands. Tears started to fall from her eyes and onto her pant legs. Choked sobs escaped her lips as she dropped her phone, brought her hands to her head, and put her elbows on her legs, supporting her hanging head.

"_He was using you…using you to get Tenten jealous…. He said you meant nothing to him…" _Those words rang viciously through her mind over and over as the tears fell slowly from her face.

Suddenly there was a loud beeping, and the sounds of nurse's shoes scuttling frantically against the ground rang up and down the halls. Sakura realized that they all ran towards one location: her mothers' hospital room.

Sakura's heart just about stopped. The day was just about to get even worse.

**This is going to sound SO heartless of me. I know all of you guys are screaming obscenities at your computer screens right now directed at me for leaving you guys in yet **_**another **_**cliffhanger, and yet all I can do is laugh. I don't know why. I must be becoming sadistic or something. But anyway, I'll try not to leave you guys in suspense for TOO long. Maybe just a few days to let some reviews and whatnot roll in. (Yay, more reviews of people cursing me out.) Guess that just means I'm doing my job right. Eh heh, heh, heh…till then! **


	7. Returning Comfort

**Chapter Seven- Returning Comfort**

_Recap:_

_Suddenly there was a loud beeping, and the sounds of nurse's shoes scuttling frantically against the ground rang up and down the halls. Sakura realized that they all ran towards one location: her mothers' hospital room. _

_Sakura's heart just about stopped. The day was just about to get even worse._

Now:

Sakura stared helplessly as doctors and nurses filed swiftly into her mothers' hospital room. She couldn't tell what was going on, and she couldn't discern it from their talking either with all the extra noise of the people buzzing about. She thought she saw Tsunade slip into the room as well, barely passing her a glance as she began to yell at the doctors and nurses', questioning what was going on.

Suddenly there was a deep, chilling silence. Everything froze, nothing made a sound. The silence went on for what felt like forever, though in reality it only lasted about three seconds. Doctors and nurses began to file out of the room sullenly; the noise of their idle chatter and footsteps began to take up the hallway. From the white coats of the workers Sakura noticed her father's red shirt emerge from the crowd and look around for a second until he spotted her.

The look on her father's face was the only foreboding of the terrible news she got before her father spoke.

"She's not gonna make it." Was all Sakura heard as everything around her suddenly seemed to crumble and blur before her eyes. Tears already began to spill wildly from her face. Her father slightly opened his arms, as if expecting Sakura to run to him and hug him with her grief, but that wasn't how it went. Sakura ran, but she took off in the opposite direction. Down the hall, down the stairs, out the door, and then any direction her legs would take her.

It was all way too much to take in. Neji had used her, betrayed her; her mother was dying, falling into a black abyss that Sakura could not pull her out of. Her whole world felt as though it was ending.

As she ran the grieving process began to take over, first came denial. She prayed that she was only dreaming, that she would wake up any second now and everything would be normal, but the pain she felt soon pushed out her denial, and suddenly she was filled with an immense fury.

She cursed it all. She cursed Neji for betraying her and using her like a tool just to get another woman, she cursed the burglar who broke into her home and hurt her mother, the doctors for not doing everything they should have done to save her mother, her father for not being home to help, everything and everyone she could think of related to all that's been happening she cursed. It was all their fault, she thought, their fault for her misery.

Finally her legs began to ache, and she gradually slowed down to a stop. She looked up; she stood in the park in front of a big tree. A memory flowed through her; this was a place she had once come to when she had grieved over Sasuke leaving. She had ran here and climbed up into its branches to cry without anyone bothering of even noticing her. Looking farther back, it was also a place she had ran to in the past when Ino had been in a car crash. She had come there after visiting Ino in the hospital to let out her sadness. Her muscles almost seemed to be tuned to run here now when she felt bad.

Just as she had done before, she slowly climbed up the tree limb by limb. She reached a thick branch, a branch she had stopped on the other two times, sat down on it, pulled up her legs, and let the tears and sadness she felt flow from her.

Sakura had no idea just how long she stayed up there. Last she had checked the sun was well over the horizon of a mountain in the distance, and now it had almost completely disappeared, leaving the skies a deep orange color.

Sakura sniffed and wiped the trail of tears on her cheeks away; her pants were stained with all the tears she had let loose. She gripped her hands into tight fists as another strong wave of sadness washed over her.

A sudden rustling broke her from her trance of grief, and she looked about wildly. A bird suddenly appeared by her, it was the cause of the noise. Sakura stared at it for a moment, perplexed as to why a wild bird would come so close to a person, but not entirely caring for the answer. She waved a hand, and the bird flapped its wings and took off out of the tree.

Finally alone again, Sakura felt a couple more stray tears slide down her cheeks. She took in a deep, shaky breath, trying to regain some composure, as she knew she'd have to go back home at some point.

"_Home…" _she thought, _"where Mom's fate was forever altered…."_

She could just about feel another bout of sadness come, but another sound stopped her. She glanced around, expecting to see another bird, and prepared to swipe it away, but that wasn't what emerged from the leaves.

A dark head of hair popped up from the leaves. For a moment Sakura believed it was a random person coming up the tree to look out across the park, until she saw their face, and she realized something.

She knew the person…it was someone she hadn't seen in what felt like years. It was Sasuke.

Sakura could only sit there, frozen, as Sasuke gazed up with the same black eyes she had looked into many times, able to read them and tell exactly what he was thinking, and now she could read them again. It wasn't surprise at coming across her, it was…relief.

"I found you." Sasuke spoke with a light smirk as he pulled himself up onto the branch Sakura had seated herself on.

Sakura could still only sit there, gawking at him. Sasuke gazed at her for a moment, and then reached out and touched her face, brushing away the stream of tears that had formed once again. Neither one of them said anything.

Sasuke suddenly pulled something from out of his pocket. "I think you dropped this." He held out the object; it was her cellphone. Sakura vaguely remembered how she had dropped it onto the ground before she began to cry in the hospital, and that she had left it on the floor in her grief and desire to run out of the place that by now probably held her mothers' dead body.

The last part of her thought brought her back to reality. Her mother was gone, Neji had used her to get to Tenten, and Sasuke, who had been gone for over a month, was suddenly in front of her, sitting with her in her tree as she fell to pieces.

"Sa…Sasuke?" Sakura called, as if not believing it.

Sasuke smirked. "Well, you remember who I am at least."

Sakura bit her lip. "Sasuke…you're…here…."

Sasuke nodded, reached out, and grasped her hand with his; the warmth from his hand confirmed that he really was there. "Yeah, I'm here Sakura." His voice was extremely soothing, and it felt like an ointment healing a wound, comforting. Sakura subconsciously leaned forward, as if being closer to him would fix all of her problems.

"But…why…how?" Sakura asked.

"I'll answer that later…. First…what happened?" Sasuke questioned.

If it was anyone else Sakura probably would have shrunk back and refused to say anything, but with the feelings she was receiving, with how much his presence helped her aching heart, she opened up, she told him everything. All the while the two edged closer and closer together until by the time Sakura finished her heartbreaking tale she was already well wrapped into Sasuke's arms, and her head rested against him as her hands clasped on his forearms.

Sasuke let out a deep sigh. "All of that happened in a few weeks, eh? I sure miss a lot."

Sakura whimpered quietly and tightened her grip on Sasuke's arms as if he was about to leave her again. "I missed you in general."

Sakura couldn't see Sasuke's expression, but she guessed from the tone in his voice that it was a saddened one. "I missed you, too."

Suddenly feeling her old courage, Sakura positioned herself to still be in Sasuke's grip, but she could look at him now. "Why did you leave?"

Sasuke closed his eyes. "I didn't want to…my dad got reassigned to a new position in a big city a while away from here, so we had to move."

Sakura looked down at Sasuke's arms. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Sasuke opened his eyes. "I thought I'd have the ability to stop the move. I wanted it to stop and just be forgotten like it never happened; I didn't want you guys to be sad."

"So leaving us in the dark was supposed to make us feel better?"

Sasuke huffed. "Like I said, I wanted to try and stop it, but all I got was my dad scolding me as he forced me into the car."

Sakura almost cracked a smile; it was typical Sasuke to be so stubborn. "But then why didn't you give any of us a call?"

"After my plan failed I was…well, I was almost too ashamed to really call you guys and tell you, so I didn't…and I pressed ignore every time one of you tried to call."

"But then…how are you back?"

Sasuke smirked. "Mom was never happy with the idea of us moving, she loves this place and the relationships we have here, and after five weeks of nagging and dirty looks Dad finally caved in and requested to get stationed back here."

Now Sakura finally cracked a smile. "Your mom is so nice."

Sasuke scoffed. "You should have seen her when we were in the other town; she was scarier than Kakashi when we took his porn books in Freshman year."

Sakura let out a laugh and grinned. "I remember that, I think Naruto wet himself with how fierce Kakashi got."

Sasuke chuckled. "Yeah…."

Silence fell between the two again, and finally Sakura spoke up. "Did you ever get Naruto's voicemail? Or did you ignore that too?"

Sasuke let out a puff as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his cellphone. "I got it alright, and it was my driving force from then on to get back here. Mom's dirty looks alone didn't get Dad to cave in. I was the definition of a demonic, brooding little child the whole time after I got his message."

Sasuke pressed a few buttons on his phone, and suddenly Naruto's voice played from his voicemail: "Teme," he declared, "you had better pick up the damn phone! Jackass!" Sakura gawked at the phone; she had never heard Naruto sound so passionately angry before. "Do you even realize what you've done you jerk? How could you have left us all without even a word? Do you even realize what you did to us? No, forget us in general, do you realize what you did to Sakura? You broke her heart man! You fu—" The message suddenly cut off. Sakura stared at the phone for a moment, confused, as Sasuke pressed another button.

"His rant went on and it got cut off, he called me again to continue." Sasuke explained as the next message played.

"Like I was saying," Naruto's voice continued, "you broke Sakura's heart you bastard! Did you even stop to consider that before you left without a word? Sakura is in love with you, damn it! She loves you! And you have the nerve to just get up and leave without telling anyone? That's really cruel…and Teme…sigh, just…you hurt her, you hurt all of us, and guess who stepped up to comfort Sakura…Neji Hyuga. He's trying to take your place man, I know it. He—" Naruto's message was cut off yet again by the timer on the voicemail.

"Dear lord, how long is this?" Sakura inquired.

"Just one more," Sasuke replied as he pressed a button to allow the last of the three-part message to play.

"You really need to extend the timer on your phone or something Teme…. So anyway, Neji's stuck his nose into the group. I don't really like it, and I think in time Sakura may…well…with what you did and with how Neji came in, if you ever come back for me to beat your ass, Sakura just may be holding Neji's hand by then. So you better come home! You better come back and get Sakura, because I know how you feel for her! You told me, remember? So call or do something! This stupid timer's gonna go off again, I know it…. Don't become a bigger bastard than you already are, Teme!"

With that the message ended. Sasuke closed his phone and put it way. He looked down at Sakura, whose expression was both surprised and wondering, as if she couldn't believe that Naruto had said those things.

Sasuke opened his mouth to speak, but Sakura beat him to it.

"Was he right?" She asked.

Sasuke stopped, not entirely sure what she meant.

"Do you…I mean…are you really…?" Sakura questioned, looking away from Sasuke and down to the ground below them.

Sasuke understood what she meant, and his grip around her tightened. "If you still are…then yes…but I mean, if you hate me now or something…I won't…I mean…."

Sakura slightly caught Sasuke off guard as she turned back to face him, let go of his arms to wrap her own around him, and planted her mouth right onto his. Sasuke was stunned for a moment, but in the next instant he returned Sakura's kiss, and repositioned his arms to fit around her as Sakura shifted onto his lap and moved her legs around his waist to hang off the other side of the tree branch.

They pulled away after they ran out of air and then simply stared at each other.

"I am if you still are." Sakura stated.

Sasuke smirked knowingly. "Then I definitely am. And Neji?"

Sakura scoffed. "That jerk, all he did was use me."

Sasuke blinked. "Wait, you never…?"

Sakura shook her head. "Oh no, we were never a 'thing' at any point, though I think if it was Neji who had come to seek me out rather than you after hearing my mom died, and he hadn't done what he did, then well…you know."

Sasuke snorted. "Vile thoughts be gone."

Sakura smiled. "Well, just be glad you're the one I love, and not someone else."

Sasuke gazed at Sakura tenderly. "That I am…."

After that, thoughts of sorrow and hurt were pushed away, only to be replaced by thoughts of the present, thoughts of tender love and happiness.

'"'"'"'"

Sasuke and Sakura stood holding hands in front a gravestone, it was marked with Sakura's mother's name, and a bouquet of flowers rested in front of it. The two stood in silence for some time as they stared down at the gravestone, honoring the dead with their own separate thoughts.

Sasuke broke the silence. "So are you okay…being here?"

Sakura nodded. "I'm fine…thanks to you. No thanks to that two-timer."

Sasuke smirked. "Speaking of him…a day or so after I found you me and Naruto paid Neji a little 'visit'."

Sakura shook her head and sighed. "You guys…."

"Hey, guys can use that girl quote too: break her heart and I'll break your face."

Sakura giggled. "Well, I thank you for putting that 'girl quote' to use."

Sasuke let go of Sakura's hand then, stepped behind her, wrapped his arms around her, and rested his chin on her head. "That's what best friends do."

"And boyfriends and girlfriends I guess." Sakura stated.

"Yes, and boyfriends and girlfriends, of course typically they're the reason of heartbreak."

Sakura's face fell a little as Sasuke said this, and Sasuke ran a comforting hand along her side.

"Don't worry, I'll never hurt you ever again, or else I'll personally beat myself up."

Sakura smiled. "Well then, thanks for your dedication."

Sasuke kissed the top of her head. "And I plan to stay that way till the very end, hopefully still in this position till the very end. Me and you, us together."

Sakura sighed as she gazed down at her mother's grave once again. "That's a future…I can look forward to."

**THE END**

**Woooow…LONG chapter! I think maybe my longest yet! This is almost 3000 words! Well…this has been the end of "Cold Comfort"! Quite a ride, eh? Of course as I type this I still have chapter six stockpiled up as well. I actually wrote this whole thing in one day! Okay, so, just to note: no, I am not a Neji hater. Would I have written "Scribble, Scribble on the Walls" which is in Neji's POV if I did? No, I just used him as the antagonist of the story. (Even if for a while he seemed like a nice protagonist to the story like…subbing for Sasuke till he got back.) Anyway, so I hope you all liked this! Quite a road we traveled…and I think quite successful for the first ever hurt/comfort I ever wrote. How'd I do on that? Pretty sure it was very hurt/comfort-ful, which means I did it right! And very dramatic…. That's all for now! Till the next story! **

**Extra note…for people who have not seen the notice I put on my profile, I may be taking a break after I publish this chapter. Inspiration is just not with me…and I haven't been able to finish ANYTHING besides this! So it may be a bit till you see a new story from Naruto-fan-Okami-chan. Till then! **


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